1. Field of the Invention
Needleworkers like to take their work with them wherever they go, and they work on their projects in cars while traveling, on planes, in waiting rooms, in motel rooms, and at other times and places where a suitable opportunity is provided. The present invention facilitates the ability to perform needleworking skills conveniently, comfortably, and effectively by freeing both hands of the needleworker. The device of the invention is lightweight and portable for easy transporting to desired work locations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Needlework stands presently available are characterized by numerous shortcomings and disadvantages. For example, available portable stands do not provide for reversing the work so that an operator can finish off or begin yarns and threads. Moreover, available portable stands are not adjustable vertically to conform to the most comfortable and convenient orientation of the needleworker's hand, nor do they rotate the angle of work area or permit adjustment of the angle of tilt to the most suitable and convenient position. As needlework proceeds from region to region on the cloth surface held by a needlework frame, fatigue and inconvenience to the needleworker are created through the use of prior needlework frames, which lack such adjustability.
Further, prior art needlework stands are not easily transportable from location to location, nor are available portable stands collapsible for forming a compact assembly which can be carried about conveniently.
A baby bottle holder of self-feeding type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,298,648, to Sepanski, issued Jan. 17, 1967, where a vertical post with longitudinal slots provide adjustable means for supporting a rotatable arm. No suggestion of portability or application to needleworking applications is suggested in the Sepanski patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,722, issued May 11, 1976, to Bard, shows a non-portable apparatus for supporting a needlework frame, including a baluster column with an adjusting block slidably and rotatably mounted on the upper portion of the column to carry a needlework, while U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,267, issued Feb. 17, 1976, to Bard, shows an apparatus for supporting a needlework frame in a plurality of adjustable positions, where the working frame is held on a dowel rod mountable in a space between a pair of upright posts.
Other devices for sewing or knitting are shown by Beaton in U.S. Pat. No. 2,417,149, issued Mar. 11, 1947, showing a sewing frame to facilitate hand sewing operations, and by Pridham in U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,537, issued July 5, 1977, showing a non-portable stand for a knitting machine. The drawback of the hand-held sewing frame of Beaton is that it is necessary to manually hold the needlework frame, thus occupying one hand when it is necessary to hold the work.